NASA: Curiosity Drives Us Forward

Product details: 18” x 24” posters, 4/0 color on glossy stock

This project called for the creation of two posters to promote the mission of NASA to an audience of teens and tweens. One poster was to capture the audience’s attention and convey a positive editorial slant while preparing the viewer for the more information-heavy second poster. Specifics as to what to feature on either poster were left to the designer.

To solve the problem I first conducted extensive research into NASA’s current plans for space exploration. After considering the motivations of my audience I chose to highlight NASA’s efforts to land people on Mars, and specifically, the autonomous, automobile-like robots that are being sent to gather data before such an ambitious endeavor. These robots, or rovers as they’re known, parallel the curiosity and independence valued by the teens and tweens comprising my target audience.

My design successfully associates themes concerning my audience while using imagery attractive to both genders. The tag line of the editorial poster (“Curiosity drives us forward”) alludes to both the themes of the work as well as the featured subject—Curiosity is the name of the most advanced rover, currently working on Mars to collect data. The headline of the informational poster again reinforces themes of independence and forward-thinking while suggesting positive contributions to society. The infographic succeeds in leaving a place for the audience to participate by incorporating a timeline that includes future space exploration events.

Typography and visual elements were arranged at angles to further support the idea of “moving forward”, and imagery and color was chosen to appeal to both boys and girls in the target audience. Additionally, the posters engage the interest of current advocates of NASA’s mission—professionals working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries—by incorporating high-resolution photos of robots and deep space.